Double-winning Open champion Padraig Harrington is just a fortnight away from the defence of his title, but admits there's nothing good about his game.

Double-winning Open champion Padraig Harrington is just a fortnight away from the defence of his title, but admits there's nothing good about his game.

Harrington is in Versailles for the French Open. Surprisingly, it is just his second time here after 2006, when he finished runner-up. But what has been more of a surprise in recent months is the form of the Irishman, who made every halfway this season leading up to the US Masters, but has failed to play four rounds since Augusta.

Following a pair of 76s in the US Open, Harrington spent three days visiting his coach, Bob Torrance, at Largs. He now has this week's French Open and next week's defence of his Irish PGA title to get his game back in shape if he is to match Peter Thomson's 1956 record of winning three straight Open titles.

Harrington yesterday spent close to three hours under a blazing sun going through every club in the bag along with four different drivers. After a 45-minute lunch break, he returned to the range to be greeted by one of the Wilson Staff tour reps with a selection of five new wedges.

By his side was caddy, Ronan Flood, and Dr Paul Hurrion, his biomechanics instructor, who had his camera set-up taking the occasional snapshot of his client.

With the Open starting on July 16, the Irishman admits he needs all the help he can get. "There's nothing good about my game at the moment," he said. "I hit the ball better than I've ever hit it out here on Monday afternoon, but I've hit it the worst I've ever hit it this morning. So, really, I would not be heaping praise on any part of my game, but then I don't feel as though I am under pressure leading up to Turnberry.

"I am my still my own boss, and I still make my own decisions. And, besides, when I get to Turnberry, it's not like I am going to be substituted off after 10 minutes, is it? That's just the nature of my game."

When asked if he could recall a similar period in his career, he singled out his third year on the European Tour when he headed into the 1998 Open at Royal Birkdale, and the same year he began working with Torrance.

"That third year on the Tour would be the most similar to what I am going through now," he said. "There have been other periods that have been reasonably similar, but that year would be the closest.

"It's something that just cannot click in'. No, not at all. That's not the way it works, and I am not looking for the changes to just click in'.

"But there's one thing for sure - and that is there is no going back."